FURISODE

Furisode - The formal kimono for single Japanese women.

When
a young Japanese woman turns 20 years old, she is recognised as an adult.
She has the right to vote, is responsible for any crimes and is allowed
to smoke and drink (officially).

Furisode Kimono

Many
parents buy the Furisode for their daughters to celebrate this
significant point in a young woman's life. Furisode is a formal kimono
for single women, it is brightly colored and made of very fine quality
silk. In the very modest Japanese society wearing a Furisode is a very
obvious statement. It is a very loud and clear advertisement that the
single woman is available for marriage.

One
of the major points of difference with the furisode are the long sleeves.
In these pictures they may appear to be short, but they are actually very
long. The sleeves go right to the ground.

Furisode Kimono

Furisode are mainly worn for major social functions such as wedding
ceremonies or tea ceremonies until they get married. Depending on
the quality of the materials, design and workmanship, a furisode normally
costs around A$15,000 for the whole outfit.

The second Monday in January is a public holiday called 'Adult
Day' and many young women attend a ceremony wearing their Furisode kimono.